organizedkaos Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 Then again, Sitcoms do tend to get broader as they go on  Do they? I think there's a number of sitcoms (US specifically) that start with very one note stereotype characters, and take a while to find their feed and get some depth. This certainly used to be the case in the 90s anyway, before TV writing in general upped its game.  I've tended to find it's about season 2/3 that things are working at their best (as you said it often takes a while to find depth to the characters). But as time passes things can regress. US Office is a great example along with how I met your mother. Parks and Rec is starting to show signs of doing it. 30 Rock and Always Sunny did too although I think they made the characters more stereotypical as a conscious decision going along with the increased surreal nature of those shows.  All my examples certainly have had the occasional later episode where they did more complex character stuff but on a joke by joke basis all the characters have taken on a more broad feel.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d-d-d-dAz Posted March 18, 2013 Share Posted March 18, 2013 I can't overstate this, it's impossible; I fucking love Walton Goggins. Â I've still got an episode left of season 1, but Boyd Crowder is already my favourite protagonist (I don't even know you can call him a 'bad guy' in the traditional sense) of any TV show ever. Â I haven't enjoyed anything this much since The Shield and that's my all time no. 1 show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loki Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 I'm watching the reruns of Cheers at the moment, and it's amazing how the series picks up a gear when Kirstie Alley turns up. The dynamic of Sam as the underling of a female boss works much better than Diane as his subordinate. Diane was amusing for a couple of series, and then increasingly annoying. Â I'm on Series 7 now, and I think there's been maybe one bad episode in the whole thing so far. The quality of the writing is just awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WildSybianRider Posted March 19, 2013 Share Posted March 19, 2013 There's a scene where Sam gets shot and then tries to do a karate kick which is one of the best physical comedy bits I've ever seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Awards Moderator HarmonicGenerator Posted March 21, 2013 Awards Moderator Share Posted March 21, 2013 Six episodes into Parks & Rec on BBC4 now, and I'm really enjoying it now I've got to know the characters. Also, I may be in love with Rashida Jones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Pitcos Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I watched a couple of the older Parks & Rec on the iPlayer last night. The thing that struck me is how different the characters were. There are seeds of what they'd turn into, but it's jarring going from a current episode to an early one. They're more like caricatures now, and all the better for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members John Matrix Posted March 21, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted March 21, 2013 Anyone been watching Obsessive Compulsive Cleaners on Channel 4? I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philo_Vance Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I'm massively late to the party here, but I've just worked my way through to the end of season 3 of The Thick Of It on lovefilm, then immediately gone out and bought the box set so I can plough straight into series four. Absolutely fucking astonishing. I really hope the missus is up for watching some of it tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Houchen Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Firstly, why didn't someone tell me Kevin Eldon had a new BBC2 show and secondly, did anyone watch it? It was awful, really awful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators Chest Rockwell Posted March 21, 2013 Moderators Share Posted March 21, 2013 I considered watching it, but then saw your tweet saying it was shit so I've not bothered. I'll stick to Netflixing documentaries and old cartoons! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magnum Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 I'm massively late to the party here, but I've just worked my way through to the end of season 3 of The Thick Of It on lovefilm, then immediately gone out and bought the box set so I can plough straight into series four. Absolutely fucking astonishing. I really hope the missus is up for watching some of it tonight. Â The final season is a masterpiece. Mind, Langham is superb in the first series, and sometimes I wonder if it could have been even better if he'd not gone to PC World, but the strength in depth of the cast of characters and adaptability of the writers to stay scarily relevant to contemporary political developments is probably what makes the show so great. Â Has anyone watched Veep yet? If so, how does it stand up to TTOI? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Pitcos Posted March 21, 2013 Share Posted March 21, 2013 Is there any reliable free way of accessing US Netflix at the moment? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members niff Posted March 21, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted March 21, 2013 I'm massively late to the party here, but I've just worked my way through to the end of season 3 of The Thick Of It on lovefilm, then immediately gone out and bought the box set so I can plough straight into series four. Absolutely fucking astonishing. I really hope the missus is up for watching some of it tonight. Â The final season is a masterpiece. Mind, Langham is superb in the first series, and sometimes I wonder if it could have been even better if he'd not gone to PC World, but the strength in depth of the cast of characters and adaptability of the writers to stay scarily relevant to contemporary political developments is probably what makes the show so great. Â Has anyone watched Veep yet? If so, how does it stand up to TTOI? Â Its a much tamer version at a slower pace. Personally, I miss the colourful language that you get from The Thick of It but its still entertaining. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
d-d-d-dAz Posted March 22, 2013 Share Posted March 22, 2013 (edited) Pitty, there's an adjustment you can make to your PS3 connection settings to get US Netflix. Or so I've heard (ahem). Â You using a PS3? Edited March 22, 2013 by d-d-d-dAz Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paid Members ShortOrderCook Posted March 22, 2013 Paid Members Share Posted March 22, 2013 I'd never seen it before and simply stumbled upon it in the middle of the night one night, but I've taken to series linking it since and watching loads of them - that being 'The Ricky Gervais show'. Taken me well by surprise, honestly some of the funniest shit I've watched in ages. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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